Police Briefs

CALDWELL The Police Department pistol range has been upgraded
and improved, with the recent purchase of a moving target system,
said Acting Police Chief Harvey N. Lawshe. "We qualify on our range
three times a year," Lawshe said. "The targets that we utilize are
stationary, fixed targets. We are now able to qualify and fire on
moving targets that are on a track system that moves forward and
reverses and stops suddenly." The target system is the Dual Antron
Moving target system and it was purchased with funds that were
received from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Forfeiture
Program. Caldwell Police Range Master Sgt. Fred Giltzow, who was
instrumental in purchasing and setting up the system said, "This is
state of the art firearms training and it is a tremendous asset to
have this system available for our in-service firearms
training."

Lawshe thanked Mario Bifalco and the Department of Public Works
staff for assisting Sgt. Giltzow and Officer Gerry Corso in the
construction, along with local iron worker and welder Mike Mears of
Caldwell who provided the I-beams and supports for the target
system.

Police impound garbage truck

CALDWELL The owner of the company that collects garbage in
Caldwell was issued summonses and his vehicle was impounded on
Saturday, July 21, according to Sgt. John Tofanelli. Sgt. Kurt
Dombrowski stopped to assist one of the garbage trucks owned by Me
ssler Co., which had run out of gas on Bloomfield Avenue, Tofanelli
said. While preparing to assist the driver, Dombrowski realized the
license plates on the truck looked suspicious and the paperwork
appeared fraudulent, police said. According to police, the owner,
Jeffrey Messler of Avenel was cited for fraudulent plates and
improper paperwork and the vehicle was towed by Criger's Towing of
Fairfield.

County calls 'summit' on park safety

Essex County Freeholder President Joseph DiVincenzo and Sheriff
Armando Fontoura have said they will convene a "Security Summit" to
discuss safety and enforcement issues throughout the Essex County
Park System. The summit will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2
at the Essex County Police Academy located at 250 Grove Ave. in
Cedar Grove. The security summit is an outgrowth of the eight-week
long series of tours o f all of the 19 parks, three reservations,
three golf courses and zoo of the Essex County Park System
undertaken by Freeholder President DiVincenzo and representatives
of the Sheriff's Office during April and May. During those tours,
more than 500 residents turned out to express their concerns and
suggestions for improving the parks they frequent. A recurring
theme at each stop was concern about t he perceived scarcity of a
police presence in the parks that residents believe, as an
unintended consequence, encourages the flaunting of park usage
rules and facilitates criminal activity.

"We have a responsibility to make our parks clean and safe
places for everyone to enjoy," said DiVincenzo, "and there's no
question that an active and visible uniformed presence is necessary
to make that possible." He went on to add that, "We have to figure
out how to maximize the limited resources available to us to
eliminate a wide range of problems, from nuisance issues like
unleashed dogs , littering, and unauthorized sporting events, to
outright criminal activity tha t makes some of our parks unsafe
places for children and law-abiding adults to b e."

Sheriff Fontoura emphasized that the coordination of all of
Essex County's law enforcement agencies is the key to covering the
vast county park system. "Six thousand acres is a lot of territory
for the Essex County Police to cover," said Fontoura, "and we have
to encourage local police departments to join us in the policing of
the parks."

DiVincenzo explained that the mayors and chiefs of police from
all of Essex County's 22 municipalities have been invited to
participate in the discussion. He also emphasized that the public
is strongly encouraged to attend to express their concerns,
experience and suggestions.

"I'm confident that when we all put our heads together," said
DiVincenzo, "we'll be able to formulate a coordinated course of
action that will make our parks more inviting and safer places for
everyone to enjoy."

Headlights are stolen twice in area

FAIRFIELD TWP. Two separate incidents of headlights being stolen
from vehicles were reported on Wednesday, July 18, police said. A
West Caldwell woman parked in the Levitz Furniture parking lot on
Route 46 and returned to her car at about 3 p.m. after shopping for
less than and hour. She discovered the headlights on her Acura 2000
had been removed, police said. The second incident was reported by
a Wayne woman who discovered the headlights missing from her 1999
Acura at about 3:50 p.m.. Her car had been parked at the Fairfield
Executive Inn Hotel on Route 46 East for the entire day. Police
caution that this type of crime has been occurring regularly
throughout the area and has primarily targeted Acura and Lexus
vehicles.

Accident closes runway at airport

FAIRFIELD TWP. An accident at Passaic Avenue and New Dutch Lane
closed one of the runways at the Essex County Airport at about 9:30
a.m. on Wednesday, July 18. According to Lt. Steven Gutkin, the
accident involved a tractor trailer and an Isuzu Trooper. The
driver of the tractor trailer, Joseph DeVito, 40 of Bridgeton said
he was traveling north on Passaic Avenue when the truck began to
accelerate on its own and he lost control. As he approached New
Dutch Lane, DeVito said he swerved to the left into oncoming
traffic. According to police, the truck struck a southbound Isuzu
Trooper which was driven by John Kelly, 38, of Oak Ridge. The Isuzu
came to rest on the side of the road, but the tractor trailer
jumped the curb went through a fence onto the airport property,
shutting down one of the runways for about an hour.

Both drivers were transported to Mountainside Hospital in
Montclair, treated for minor injuries and later released.

The tractor trailer was impounded by the Traffic Division for
further investigation.

Four area minors face charges

FAIRFIELD Four youths were arrested on New Dutch Lane, at 11:55
p.m. on Friday, July 20. Police said they were in a 1993 Lexus,
which was stopped by Lt. James High for motor vehicle violations.
In speaking with the 17-year-old male driver from North Caldwell,
police said the smell of alcoholic beverages and burnt marijuana
was detected from inside the vehicle. Officer Christopher Nicholas
arrived and helped to locate the marijuana and alcoholic beverages
inside the vehicle. According to police, the occupants of the car
included a 15-year-old female and a 16-year-old male, both from
Essex Fells, along with a 16-year-old male from Roseland.

All were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, drug
paraphernalia and illegal possession of alcoholic beverages. The
driver, police said, was additionally charged with driving while
intoxicated and several other motor vehicle violations.

Police dispatcher position is open

ESSEX FELLS The Police Department has an immediate opening for
dispatcher. Work includes using telephones, radios, typing and
filing reports and records. Benefits include health plan, pension,
vacation and paid holidays. The schedule is 12 hour rotating shifts
at a salary range of $20,000 to $23,571, depending on training
and/or experience, with annual increments. Applications are
available at police headquarters, 255 Roseland Ave. and must be
returned by Friday, Aug. 10.

Ohio man charged

FAIRFIELD TWP. David Downey, 45, of Wooster, Ohio, was arrested
in the Steak & Ale restaurant parking lot on Route 46, on
Saturday, July 21, after police received a call from a citizen
about a suspicious vehicle. Downey was charged with possession of
marijuana and drug paraphernalia, found in the truck, driving with
a suspended license and driving without insurance. He was released
on $1,000 bail pending a court appearance on Thursday, July
26.

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Online Poll

In recent weeks, Long Hill Township and Watchung Borough passed ordinances allowing their police departments to be able to apply for surplus equipment from the Department of Defense. Long Hill recently procured a Humvee to use in times of flooding, which Watchung states as the reason they are getting into the program. However, in cities around the country, police forces have used the program to obtain military gear, such as weapons and armor.
For more background, go to the link below
http://www.newjerseyhills.com/echoes-sentinel/news/watchung-police-department-hopes-to-receive-equipment-from-department-of/article_12ad002a-92b3-5449-a2cc-4b2cf0ce4339.html